Winter 2015 Programs Comox- Finding Presence, Transforming Loss

Finding Presence: A Workshop on Embodied Spiritual Practice

This 6 session workshop will explore how the felt sense of being fully here and now with our experience can be a resource for deepening spiritual practice.  We will bring together the worlds of somatics and meditation, sound and silence, movement and stillness, in exploring the work of full presence. By developing our bodily sense of ourselves through presence skills, breath, sitting meditation, embodied meditation, movement, and expressive arts, we will increase our ability to be in the present moment, to be present to the life around us, and to find our place of connection with Oneness.

We will:

• Learn the principles and practice of basic mindfulness
• Learn basic psychomotor body skills to aid being in the present moment
• Expand and deepen awareness of sensory perception as a resource for embodied meditation
• Reflect on spiritual teachings on presence from different faith traditions
• Explore the Pause, Gratitude and Walking as spiritual practices of presence
• Discuss the meaning and effects of spiritual practice in daily life and in work for a just and

               caring world

When: Thursdays, 7pm—9pm; January 20 to March 10, 2015

Where:    Comox United Church – ground level room off parking lot- wheelchair accessible

Cost:         By donation 

Facilitators: Wendy McNiven and Denise Nadeau.  See www.movingwithspirit.ca.for more information.

To register, contact: Wendy - wmcniven@uuma.org (250-890-3213

or Denise - dnadeau@shaw.ca (250-871-2401)

Transforming Loss

Whatever burdens that people carry, at times we all face the challenges of isolation, pain, fear, and grief. People living with the loss of a loved one, a diagnosis of a life-threatening illness, a chronic disease, the loss of a job, the erosion of one’s abilities, or loss of hope for a just and sustainable world —might benefit from participating in “Transforming Loss”.

The intention of this program is to help participants change their relationship with pain and loss.  It will combine spiritual teachings, movement and presence skills, expressive arts and ritual.

Participants will

o   Learn practical body skills for being in the present moment

o   Be introduced to different approaches to dealing with chronic pain

o   Identify and share spiritual and faith resources that have helped us survive and even thrive on our journeys

o   Explore the use of ritual and ceremony in transforming suffering and loss

o   Learn expressive arts approaches to explore one’s relationship with  suffering

o   Experience compassion and kindness for oneself and others.

Facilitators: Wendy McNiven and Denise Nadeau with Guest Resource persons  Kazimea Sokil, Nicole Crouch, and Bonni Hanuse.  See www.movingwithspirit.ca.org for more information.

When:    Tuesdays  3:30 -5:30   January 20 to March 10, 2015

Where:    Comox United Church – ground level room off parking lot- wheelchair accessible

Cost:         By donation 

 These programs are partly sponsored by the United Church Pro-vision Fund and supported by

Comox United Church and the Comox Valley Unitarian Fellowship.

To register, contact: Wendy - wmcniven@uuma.org (250-890-3213

or Denise - dnadeau@shaw.ca (250-871-2401)

Facilitators:

Denise Nadeau ( DMin., MDiv. M.Litt.) is a dance-movement therapist, spiritual companion and educator whose work in the past twenty years has combined expressive arts with spiritual practice in the recovery of the sacredness of the body.  She has led retreats and programs for women recovering from violence and for people dealing with pain, illness and loss.  Much of her work focuses on developing bodily vitality and our sense of connection with the earth.  She has trained in BodyMind Psychotherapy, the Halprin Life-Art Process, and Moaiku Bodynamics.  From 2006 to 2012 she was the Director of the SFU Interfaith Institute for Justice, Peace and Social Movements. 

Wendy McNiven ( MDiv. M.Ed.) is a Unitarian Minister and certified counsellor.  Her experience over the past twenty years has included pastoral care with people in life-compromising situations, counseling with individuals and families, energy clearing and healing work, and leading small groups in both workshop settings and interpersonal support and growth.  She has studied energy work, and has a regular meditation practice.  She is dedicated to the belief that each of us, with the right kind of support, has within us a depth of strength and wisdom that can be tapped.  

Bonni Hanuse is of the Mamalilikala, from Mimkwamilis (Village Island), of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation on her maternal side and Coast Salish from the Musqueam Nation on her paternal side. She has worked for many years in the inner city of Vancouver, most recently as an Elder with Vancouver Native Health and also as an Elder with the UBC Summer Science Program for Indigenous youth.  

Nicole Crouch is an art therapist living in the Comox Valley. She has a Masters   in Creative Arts Therapies from Concordia University. She has been working in the arts and in community development for over ten years. She is especially interested in arts-based mindfulness approaches to chronic pain and wellness, and has worked to help clients with these issues. 

Kazimea Sokil holds an M.A. in Creative Arts Therapy from Concordia University, Montreal.  She is a registered clinical counsellor with a private practice in Courtenay since 2005. She is the Music Director if the Comox Valley Unitarian Fellowship. Her work, RESONANCEarts, encompasses counselling, the creative arts therapies and community-building, arts-based events. Kazimea's counseling experience includes grief and loss work, burnout prevention, and creative group explorations. She has worked extensively with adults and youth with developmental delays, seniors, and youth-at-risk.  Her creative background is mainly in drama and music, and includes maskwork, improvisational drama, songwriting and ritual.

 

 

Finding Presence: A Workshop on Embodied Spiritual Practice

Finding Presence: A Workshop on Embodied Spiritual Practice

Recent developments in mindfulness practices and body therapies indicate that the benefits of embodied practice are critical to health and well being and can be a resource for living life graciously rather than in anxiety and fear. 

The Finding Presence workshop will benefit those who want to deepen their spiritual practice and who need tools and spiritual resources to do so.  It will also support those who are overwhelmed with the busyness and confusion of contemporary times and would like resources to stay clear, focused in the present and connected with what some call Oneness, the Divine, Mystery, or Being.

 

We will bring together the worlds of somatics and meditation, sound and silence, movement and stillness, in exploring the work of full presence.  We will

·         Learn the principles and practice of basic meditation

·         Explore movement and stillness as resources

·         Learn basic psychomotor  body skills to aid being in the present moment

·         Expand and deepen awareness of sensory perception as a resource for embodied meditation

·         Reflect on spiritual teachings on presence from  different faith traditions

·         Look at the value and practice of the pause

·         Use Gratitude as a spiritual practice of presence

When:    Thursday evenings 7pm – 9pm. October 23 to December 4 (no class November 20)

Where:    Comox United Church –250 Beach Ave. Comox- lower level room - wheelchair accessible

Cost: By donation

Facilitators:

Denise Nadeau is a dance-movement therapist, spiritual companion and educator whose work in the past twenty years has combined expressive arts with spiritual practice in the recovery of the sacredness of the body.  She has led retreats and workshops for people dealing with chronic pain, cancer, or recovering from violence, as well as community healing workshops that focus on developing bodily vitality and our sense of connection with the earth.  She has a Doctor of Ministry and a Masters of Divinity, as well as training in BodyMind Psychotherapy, the Halprin Life-Art Process,and Moaiku Bodynamics.  From 2006 to 2012 she was the Director of the Interfaith Institute for Justice, Peace and Social Movements at Simon Fraser University. 

Wendy McNiven is a Unitarian Minister and certified counsellor.  Her experience over the past twenty years has included pastoral care with people in life-compromising situations, counseling with individuals and families, energy clearing and healing work, and leading small groups in both workshop settings and interpersonal support and growth.  Wendy has a Masters of Divinity degree and a Masters of Education in Counseling Psychology. She has studied energy work, and has a regular meditation practice.  She is dedicated to the belief that each of us, with the right kind of support, can tap into a deep well of strength and wisdom within ourselves.

This program is sponsored by the United Church Pro-vision Fund and supported by

   Comox United Church, and the Comox Valley Unitarian Fellowhsip.

Building Support and Strengthening Resilience

Building Support and Strengthening Resilience

A Group for Persons Living with Cancer and Other Life-Threatening Illness

People living with cancer and other life threatening illnesses often face the challenges of isolation, pain, fear, grief and loss.  This group program offers skills, support and resources to help participants reinhabit and befriend the body, as well as strengthen connection to the resources that have helped them survive and thrive under difficult conditions.  Facilitators draw from the wells of healing practices of various spiritual traditions, as well as those of their respective therapeutic trainings.  The program includes expressive arts (movement, drawing and writing), pain reduction techniques , guided imagery, grounding, centering , breath work, energy clearing, and sharing of spiritual reflections.

Facilitators

Denise Nadeau is a dance-movement therapist, spiritual director and educator whose work in the past twenty years has combined expressive arts with spiritual practice in the recovery of the sacredness of the body.  She has led retreats and workshops for people dealing with chronic pain and with cancer, as well as community healing workshops that focus on developing bodily vitality and our sense of connection with the earth.  She has a Doctor of Ministry and a Masters of Divinity, as well as training in BodyMind Psychotherapy, the Halprin Life-Art Process, Popular Theatre and, recently, Moaiku.  From 2006 to 2012 she was the Director of the Interfaith Institute for Justice, Peace and Social Movements at Simon Fraser University.

Wendy McNiven is a Unitarian Minister and certified counsellor.  Her experience over the past twenty years has included pastoral care with people in life-compromising situations,  counselling with individuals and families, energy clearing and healing work, and leading small groups in both workshop settings and interpersonal support and growth.  Wendy has a Masters of Divinity degree and a Masters of Education in Counselling Psychology. She has studied energy work, and has a regular meditation practice.  She is dedicated to the belief that each of us has within us a depth of strength and wisdom that can be tapped, with the right kind of support.

When:  Monday afternoons: March 24, 31, April 7, 14, 21, May 5 - 2014  2: pm - 4:pm

Where: Royston Hall, wheel chair accessible, corner of Royston Road and Island Highway.

Cost:  $30 - $150 sliding scale ($5-$25 per session).  Registration closed after second session.  Preregistration required by March 17.

To register or for more information see movingwithspirit.ca or contact Denise Nadeau 250-871-2401 or dnadeau@shaw.ca or Wendy McNiven 250-339-2019 or wmcniven@telus.net .

Moving with the Elements : Listening to Earth, Air, Fire and Water

Moving with the Elements: Listening to Earth, Air, Fire and Water

With Denise Nadeau (DMIN, MDIV, BMPC)

Using movement, dance, presence skills, chi-gong, and spiritual teachings, this workshop series will explore working with earth, air, fire and water as resources for health and wellness.  

Tuesdays evenings January 21- March 25, 2014.  Royston Community Hall.

$90- 150 sliding scale. Drop-in rate $10-20. 

For full details click on Moving with the Elements above.

Denise is back in the Comox Valley after three and a half months working in Montreal.  This winter and spring we will be offering a range of programs, starting with Moving with the Elements; Listening to Earth, Air, Fire and Water in January.  As further winter and spring programs get solidified we will be posting them here, so check back regularly.

Happy New Year!